Vibrating equipment



ep 9, 1952 E. SOLDAN 2,609,930

VIBRATING EQUIPMENT Filed April 17, 1948 as 66 4-8 F161, 50 5G 12 INVETOR. LEW 5 E SOLD/W BY ATTORNEY 5% Patented Sept. 9, 1952 UNITED STATESlit VIBRATING EQUIPMENT Lewis E. Soldan, San Diego, Calif., assignor toProductive Equipment Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Application April 17, 1948, Serial No. 21,648

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in vibrating equipment. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to improvements in vibratingequipment wherein a light-weight, porous screen is used to separateparticles of different sizes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved vibrating device which has a light-weight, porous screen thatis used to separate particles of different sizes.

In the operation of vibrating equipment, it is frequently desirable toplace a light-weight, porous screen between upstanding walls, place amixture of particles of different sizes on the screen, and impart acontrolled vibration to the screen, Where the pores in the screen arelarger than some of the particles placed on the screen, but are smallerthan other of those particles, the controlled vibration will cause partof the mixture of particles to pass through the screen. To be eificient,the screens should have openings of a uniform size, and they should befree of areas of unequaltension. It is not diiiicult to makelight-weight porous screens so they have openings of uniform size and sothey are free of areas of unequal tension; but it is not always possibleto secure those screens to vibrating devices and still maintain theinitial uniformity of pore size and freedom from areas of unequaltension. This is due to the fact that the screens are customarilysupported in position between the upstanding walls of the vibratingequipment by a number of individual clamps which are spaced along thelength of those Walls. The clamps have adjustable portions, such as wingnuts, which can be used to create desired amounts of tension in thescreen; and while it is theoretically possible for each of the clamps tohave the same initial setting and to receive the same amount ofadjustment, it is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, as apractical matter to make the initial settingof a large number ofindividual clamps exactly the same, and to attain the exact sameadjustment for each clamp. This problem is particularly acute becauserelatively unskilled personnel operate vibrating equipment. As a result,it frequently happens that certain areas of the screens are given moretension than the other areas of the screens; and, even if all parts ofthe screens could be given the same amount of tension, there would be noassurance that one or more of the clamps would not loosen because of thevibration. No matter how created, these inequalities of tension areobjectionable because they vary the frequency of vibration of differentareas of the screens, and they can cause a distortion of the screensthat will vary the. size;of the pores in the screens. The presentinvention obviates these objections by Providing a tensioning structure,for use in vibrating equipment,

which can provide uniform tension in all areas of the screens of suchequipment. Such a structure makes possible the maintenance of.uniformity of pore'size and evenness of tension. It is therefore anobject of the present invention to provide a tensioning structure, forvibrating equipment, that can provide uniform tension in all areas ofthe screens of such equipment.-

Where vibrating equipment has a porous screen which is supportedandtensioned by a large number of adjustable clamps that must beindividually adjusted to support and tension the screen, the insertionand removal of the screen is a time-consuming process. This isobjectionable from the standpoint of the cost of labor involved and fromthe standpoint of idle time for the equipment; and it is alsoobjectionable because the operators tend to becomeweary and to do anincomplete job of tensioning the screen. The present invention obviatesthese objections by providing a number of carefully aligned openings inthe end frames, of porous screens, that can telescope over and be heldby carefully aligned pins on the tensioning structure of the vibratingequipment. With such an arrangement, insertion and removal of thescreens can be effected quickly by placing the end frames of the screensin engagement with, or separating those end frames from, the pins on thetensioning structure. It is therefore an object of the present inventionto provide carefully aligned openings in the end frames, of porousscreens, which can be made to telescope over and engage aligned pins onthe tensioning structure of vibrating equipment.

It frequently happens in vibrating equipmentthat the securement betweenthe edges of the screen and the upstanding walls of the vibratingequipment is the sole source of support for the screen. In suchinstances, the screen must be made strong enough and stiff enough to beself supporting. Where the weight of the material placed upon the screenis sizable, a self-supporting screen must be made so stiff and so heavythat its frequency of vibration is low; and a low frequency of vibrationcan mean a low efficiency for the screen. The present invention avoidsthe necessity of making the screens of vibrating equipment stiff andheavy by providing an open work supporting structure forthose screens.The open work supporting structure provides a number of points ofsupport for the screens intermediate the upstanding walls of thevibrating equipment, and thus makes it possible to use screens which arequite resilient and quite light in weight. Such screens can be quiteefficient. It is therefore an object of the present invention to providean open work supporting structure for the porous screens of vibratingequipment.

The open work supporting structure of the present invention can servethe dual purpose of supporting and tensioning the screens of thevibrating equipment. This is made possible by forming the open worksupporting structure of the vibrating equipment as two elongated,rotatable frames; the frames having aligned pins which engage the screenof the vibrating equipment and are movable toward and away from eachother to selectively increase or decrease the tension in the screen. Theelongated, rotatable frames of the supporting structure underlie thescreen and give it full and adequate support while the pins maintain thedesired amount of tension in the screen. It is therefore an object ofthe present invention to provide a pair of elongated, rotatable framesthat constitute a supporting and. tensioning structure for vibratingequipment.

The elongated, rotatable frames of the open work structure for vibratingequipment provided by the present invention are preferably movable by asingle actuating mechanism. Where this is done, there is no need ofadjusting a number of individual clamps; instead, only one mechanismneed'be adjusted to loosen or tighten the screen. This arrangement notonly decreases the time required for removing and installing the screen,but it makes uniform tensioning of the screen possible. It is thereforean object of the present invention'to provide a single mechanism thatadjusts the position'of the elongated, rotatable frames of' thesupporting structure of vibrating equipment.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention shouldbecome apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanyingdescription.

In the drawing and accompanying description a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention is shown and described but it is to be understoodthat the drawing and accompanying description are for the purposes ofillustration only and do not limit the invention and that the inventionwill be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vibrating device embodyingthe principles and teachings of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional, side elevational view of the vibratingdevice shown in Fig. 1, it is taken along the plane indicated by line2--2 of Fig. l, and it shows the supporting structure of that device inraised position, and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional, side elevational View of the vibratingdevice shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is taken along the plane indicated byline 22 of Fig. 1, and it shows the supporting structure of that devicein lowered position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral I denotes one of theupstanding side walls of a vibrating device. The numeral I2 denotesanother upstanding side wall of the vibrating device, and wall I2 isspaced from wall III. The distance between the two walls II] and I2 isspanned by pivot rods I4 and I6; and those rods cooperate with thespaced walls I0 and I2 to brating device.

The numerals I8 denote a number of longitudinally-extending,transversely spaced arms which are rotatably secured to the pivot rod I6by passing that rod through openings in vertically-directed projectionswhich depend downwardly from the left hand ends of those arms. The armsI8 extend over one-half the length of the side walls I0 and I2; and theyrotate about pivot rod E6. The arms I8 cooperate with cross members 20and 22 and cross members 24 to form a frame that is part of thesupporting and tensioning structure of the vibrating device. Crossmembers 20 and 22 are adjacent pivot rod It while cross members 24 areintermediate the ends of arms I8. The cross members 20, 22 and 24 andthe arms I8 are preferably secured together, as by welding, to form anintegrated unit. A tube 26 is secured, as by welding, between the freeends of the two central arms I8, and that tube assists in stiffening theframe formed by arms I8 and cross members 20, 22 and 24. The diameter oftube 26 is as large as the height of the free ends Of arms Ill; and thetop of the'tube 26 i in the plane of the tops of arms I8. Each of thearms I8 has a slot 28 formed in the free end thereof; and those slotsare approximately parallel to the axes of the arms I8. A number ofaligned pins 30 are secured to, and project upwardly from the crossmember 22; and those pins are preferably of a generally trapezoidalform, and have inclined edges on the rear surfaces thereof. Whether ornot the pins 30 are trapezoidal in form, they should be secured to thecross member 22 so the rear edges thereof incline to the left.

The arms I8, cross members 20, 22 and 24, tube 26, and pins 30 form aunitary frame that rotates about pivot rod I6. When that frame isrotated in a clockwise direction, the pins 30 move toward the center ofthe vibrating device; and when that frame is rotated in acounterclockwise direction, the pins 30 move away from that center.Thus, selective movement of that frame can cause selective positioningof the aligned pins 30.

A number of longitudinally extending arms 32, which are somewhat similarto the arms I8, are provided at the right hand end of the vibratingdevice. Those arms are pivotally secured to pivot rod I4, as by passingthat rod through downwardly depending projections on the right hand endsof those arms. The arms 32 cooperate with cross members 34, 36 and 38 toform a frame that coacts with the frame, formed by arms I8, crossmembers 20, 22 and 24, and tube 26, to constitute the supportingstructure for the screen of the vibrating device. Cross members 34 and36 are adjacent the pivot rod I4 while cross members 38 are intermediatethe end of the arms 32. The cross members 34, 36 and 38 are preferablysecured to arms 32, a by welding, to form an integrated unit. The freeends of the arms 32 are provided with slots, not shown, which are inapproximate registry with the slots 28 in the free ends of arms l8, andthose slots are approximately parallel with the axes of arms 32.

Tubes are disposed between the ends of the outermost and the centralarms 32; and those tubes cooperate with arms 32 and cross members 34,,36 and 38 to form a sturdy open work frame. The. tubes 46 havev adiameter equal to theheight of the free ends of arms 32; and the tops ofthose tubes is in the plane of the tops of arm 32. A number of pins 42are secured to the cross member 36; and the rear surfaces of those pinsincline to the right.

The arms 32, cross members 34, 36 and 38, tubes 49' and pins 42 form aunitary frame that rotates about pivot rod l4. When that frame isrotated in a counterclockwise direction, the

pin 42 move toward the center of the vibrating device; and when thatframe is moved in a clockwise direction, the pins 42 move away from thatcenter. Thus, selective movement of that frame can cause selectivepositioningof the aligned pins 42.

The numeral 44 denotes a registering rod which extends through each ofthe slots in the free ends of the arms I8 and 32; and that rod extendsfrom each side wall of the vibrating, device to the other. The rod 44serves to maintain the free ends of each of the arms l8 and 32 inregister with each other; and it assures conjoint movement of the innerends of the frames formed by the arms l8 and 32- and their cross membersand tubes. Although the inner ends of the frames will move conjointly,the direction of movement of the frames will be out of phase. Wheneverthe left hand frame moves in a clockwise direction the right hand framewill move in a counterclockwise direction, and whenever the left handframe moves in a counter-clockwise direction the right hand frame willmove in a clockwise direction. This arrangement enables movement of rod44to cause conjoint movement of pins 30 and 42 toward or away from eachother.

The outermost arms 32 are provided with downwardly depending projections46'. The projections 46 carry and support pins 48; and those pins aresecured to eyes formed in the upper'ends of the shorter arms of J-shapedconnecting rods 50. The lower ends of rods 50 extend down under the sidewalls 10- and 1-2 of the vibrating device, and the longer arms of thoserods extend upwardly along the outer faces of the side walls It) and [2.Eyes in the upper ends of the longer arms of the J-shaped connectingrods 50 fit over and engage pins 52 which are carried on. discs 54 and56. The disc 54 is provided with teeth on the periphery thereof, butotherwise the two discs 54 and 56 are the same.

The discs 5-4 and 56 are fixedly secured to a transverse shaft 58 whichis supported in bearings 60. onthe side Walls l0 and 12 of the vibratingdevice. The discs 54 and 56 are secured to the shaft 58 in such a waythat the pins 52 of those discs are always in register with each other;and when the shaft and discs are rotated by crank. 62, the pins 52 willmove conjointly. Such movement causes conjoint movement of the J-shapedconnecting rods 56", and thus causes conjoint movement of the inner endsof the eccentrically mounted frames of the vibrating device. This lattermovement causes the pins 30 and 42 to move toward or away from eachother. As indicated in Fig. 2' the pins 3!! and 42 are spaced relativelyfar apart, while in Fig. 3 those pins are spaced closer together.

When the pins 30 and 42 are moved intothe position shown in Fig. 3,those pins are close enough to readily receive the perforated end frames68 of a light-weight, porous screen 66. This screen can be made byweaving wires or fibers together or by soldering or brazing wires tosupports. The end frames 68 of the screen have a number of openingswhich are carefully formed and are in exact registry with the alignedpins 36 and 42 on the elongated, rotatable frames of the vibratingdevice. In the position shown in Fig. 3, the pins 30 and 42 also permitready removal of the screen 66. It is only necessary to make theopenings in end frames 68 engage or disengage pins '36 and 42 to secureor remove screen 66. Although not shown, side frames may be provided forthe screen 66-; such frames. being light in weight and being flexible.Such frames protect the operators from raw wire edges while handling thescreens, and also protecting the sides of the screen against raveling.

Once the end frames 68 are telescoped over the pins 30 and 42, the crank62 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. Such rotation will causerotation of the discs 54 and 56, andwill raise the J-shaped connectingrods 50.. Such raising will cause the inner ends of the frames to moveupwardly; and during this movement, the pins 30 and 42 will move awayfrom each other. In doing so, the pins will move the end frames 68 ofscreen 66- away from eachother and will thus impart a desired amount oftension to the screen. The inclined rear faces of the pins 36 and 4-2will hold the end frame 68 of the screen 66 in secure engagement withthose pins.

As the pins 30 and 42 move further apart, the screen will be stretcheduntil it assumes a configuration similar to that shown in Fig- 2.Continued outward movement of the pins 30 and 42 will pull the screen66. into intimate engagement with the tops of arms [.8 and 32, crossmembers 24 and 3B, and tubes 26 and 40. At. such time, the elongated,rotatable frames will give adequate support to the screen 66 and yetwill permit large areas of that screen to vibrate freely.

When the desired amount of tension has been attained, the pawl 64 ispressed into engagement with an adjacent tooth on disc 54 and will pre-'vent diminution of the tension in the screen. In this way, a desiredamount of tension can quickly be applied to all parts of the screen 66and can be positively held. This arrangement facilitates prompt, eventensioning of the screen by actuation of a single element.

To remove the. screen 6.6, all that need be done is move the pawl awayfrom disc 54, rotate the crank 62' until the frames are in. the positionshown in Fig. 3, and then lift the end' frames 68 of the screen 66 awayfrom the pins 30 and 42. Thereafter, a new screen or the. originalscreen, after cleaning, can be replaced; and the screen can he tensionedby rotating the crank 62.. This provides a quick and. accurate Way ofsupporting. and tensioning. a screen. without. creating areas of unequaltension in that screen.

The tubes 26: and 46 serve to provide transverse support for the centerof the screen 66, and the cross members 24 and 38 serveto providetransverse support for the screen. intermediate its ends. The tops of.the arms [8 and 32 provide longitudinal support for the screen; and thusthe two elongated, rotatable frames. constitute an open work supportingstructure for the screen which fully supports the screen. This makes itpossible to employ light weight screens invibrating devices that impartvibration to large quantities of material. Such screens will operatewith high efficiency when the vibrationimparting mechanism is connectedto the side walls and 12. At such time, all portions of the screen 66and its supporting structure will vibrate; but the portions of thescreen which are not touching the supporting structure will have a highfrequency of vibration.

By having the arms [8 and 32 mounted as shown and described, any givenamount of tension can be created in the screen 66 by moving the innerends of those arms upwardly. The slots 28 permit relative movement ofthe ends of arms I8 and 32 while maintaining those arms in assembledrelation.

Whereas a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shownand described in the drawing and accompanying description it should beobvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made inthe form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof.

, WhatIclaim is: 1

1. In a vibrating device that includes a porous screen, a support forsaid screen, and side walls confining material placed on the uppersurface of said screen, the improvement which comprises perforated endframes on said screen and an extendible support for said screen whichhas projections thereon to engage the perforations in said end frames,said support comprising two elongated frames that are disposed withtheir axes parallel to said side walls and spaced pivots for said framesthat are disposed with their axes perpendicular to said side walls, saidframes being supported by said pivots for rotation relative to eachother and relative to said side walls, each of said frames having ascreen-engaging surface spaced horizontally from the pivot for saidframe, said projections on said frames being spaced vertically from thepivots for said frames, said screen-engaging surfaces of said framesunderlying said screen and being intermediate said projections on saidframes, said frames underlying a large portion of the area of saidscreen, said frames being rotatable about said pivots to move saidscreen-engaging surfaces vertically and to move said projectionshorizontally and thereby move said screen-engaging surfaces on saidframes away from or toward said screen and also move said projectionstoward or away from each other to free said screen from said extendiblesupport or to tension said screen by pressing the central portions ofsaid screen upwardly with said screen-engaging surfaces while pullingthe ends of said screen outwardly with saidprojections.

2. A vibrating device comprising spaced side walls, a first frame thathas longitudinally extending arms and transversely extending crossmembers, vertically-directed projections at the outer ends of saidlongitudinally extending arms, a pivot rod passing through openings insaid projections, a second frame that has longitudinally extending armsand transversely extending cross members, vertically-directedprojections on the outer ends of the arms of said second frame, a secondpivot rod passing through openings in the projections on the arms ofsaid second frame, said pivot rods being spaced apart and beingsupported by said spaced side walls, a porous screen supported on saidframes, the inner ends of the longitudinally extending arms of the firstsaid frame and said second frame being adjacent each other andunderlying and engaging said screen, said inner ends being spacedhorizontally from said pivot rods, and pins that are carried by saidframes and are vertically spaced relative to said pivot rods, said pinsbeing adapted to engage the ends of said screen and maintain said screenand frames in assembled relation, said frames being rotatable about saidpivot rods to move said pins toward and away from each other, and tomove said inner ends away from and toward said screen and thereby freesaid screen from said frames or tension said screen by pressing thecentral portions of said screen upwardly with said inner ends whilepulling the ends of said screen outwardly with said pins.

3. A vibrating device comprising a first frame that has longitudinallyextending arms and transversely extending cross members,verticallydirected projections at the outer ends of said longitudinallyextending arms, a stationary pivot rod extending through openings insaid projections, a second frame that has longitudinally extending armsand transversely extending cross members, vertically-directedprojections on the outer ends of the arms of said second frame, a secondstationary pivot rod extending through openings in the projections onthe arms of said second frame, a screen supported on said frames, andpins that are mounted on said frames and can maintain said screen andframes in assembled relation, the inner ends of said longitudinallyextending arms of said frames being selectively engageable with portionsof said screen that are located inwardly of said screen, said framesbeing movable about said pivot rods to cause said inner ends of saidlongitudinally extending arms to press upwardly against said inwardlylocated portions of said screen and to vary the spacing between saidpins and thereby tension said screen.

4. In a vibrating device that includes a porous screen, a support forsaid screen, and side walls confining material placed on top of saidscreen, the improvement which comprises an adjustable support for saidscreen and a plurality of aligned pins carried by said support, saidsupport havme two sections that underlie and engage said screen, saidsections being movable to increase or decrease the total overall lengthof said support, said pins being engageable with said screen and beingmovable with said sections of said support to create tension in saidscreen, said sections of said support having screen-engaging surfaceswhich move upwardly to raise and ten-- sion the central portions of saidscreen.

5. A vibrating device that comprises a porous screen, an open worksupporting structure disposed below and in supportin relation with saidscreen, and pins that engage said screen and said structure and holdthem in assembled relation, said structure having two relatively movablesections that can be moved to vary the overall length of said structure,such variation determining the position of said pins and the tension insaid screen, said two relatively movable sections being rotatable tocause portions thereof to raise central portions of said screen upwardlyto tension said screen.

6. A vibrating device that comprises a porous screen, an open worksupporting structure disposed below and in supporting relation with saidscreen, and pins that engage said screen and said structure and holdthem in assembled relation, said structure having two relatively movablepivoted sections that can be moved apart to tension said screen, saidsections havin portions disposed vertically above and horizontallyinward of the pivots therefor, said sections being rotatable to causesaid horizontally inwardly disposed portions to raise the centralportions of said screen upwardly and to cause said vertically dis posedportions to move said pins apart.

7. A vibrating device that comprises an upstanding side wall, a secondupstanding side Wall spaced from said first wall, a pair of pivot rodsdisposed between and secured to said upstanding side walls, a pair offrames pivoted to said pivot rods, and a porous screen securable to saidframes, said frames havin the inner ends thereof disposed adjacent eachother to provide continuous support for said screen, said frames beingrotatable to cause the inner ends thereof to raise upwardly on thecentral portions of said screen and thereby tension said screen.

3. A vibrating device that comprises an upstanding side wall, a secondupstanding side wall spaced from said first wall, a pair of pivot rodsdisposed between and secured to said upstanding side walls, a pair offrames pivoted to said pivot rods said frames having inner ends, and aporous screen securable to said frames, slots in the inner ends of saidframes, and a connecting rod extending through said slots to adjust theposition of the inner ends of said frames, said frames being rotatableto cause the inner ends thereof to raise upwardly on the centralportions of said screen and thereby tension said screen.

9. A vibrating device that comprises an upstanding side wall, a secondupstanding side wall spaced from said first Wall, a pair of pivot rodsdisposed between and secured to said upstanding side walls, a pair offrames pivoted to said pivot rods, and a porous screen securable to saidframes adjacent the outer ends of said frames, slots in the inner endsof said frames, and a connecting rod extending through said slots, saidconnecting rod being movable to adjust the position of the outer ends ofsaid frames and thereby adjust the tension in said screen.

10. In a vibrating device that includes a porous screen, a support forsaid screen, and side walls confining material placed on top of saidscreen, the improvement which comprises an adjustable support for saidscreen, a plurality of aligned pins carried by said support, saidsupport having two sections that underlie and engage said screen, saidsections being movable to increase or decrease the total overall lengthof said support, flat end plates for said screen that are permanentlysecured to the opposite ends of said screen and can be in the same planewith said screen, and openings through said end plates, said pins beingengageable with said openings in said end plates of said screen andbeing movable with said seotions of said support to create tension insaid screen, said pins having the rear edges thereof inclined outwardlyfrom the center of said screen and said sections of said support beingadjustable to move said rows of j pins relative to each other, wherebythe inclined rear faces of said pins will coact with those portions ofsaid end plates which define the outer ends of said openings in said endplates to clamp said screen against said support whenever the distancebetween said rows of pins is increased.

11. A vibrating device that comprises an upstanding side Wall, a secondupstanding side wall spaced from said first wall, a pair of pivot rodsdisposed between and secured to said upstanding side walls, a pair offrames pivoted to said pivot rods, and a porous screen that overlies andis supported by said pair of frames and is secured to the outer ends ofsaid frames, slots in the inner ends of said frames, a connecting rodextending through said slots, and a shaft that spans said upstandingside walls and carries levers secured to said connecting rod, said shaftbeing rotatable to move said levers and thereby adjust the position ofthe outer ends of said frames.

LEWIS E. SOLDAN.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I 773,423 Reynolds Oct. 25, 19045 1,438,489 Hawley Dec. 12, 1922' 2,000,426 Symons May 7, 1935 2,042,072Robins May 26, 1936 2,153,243 Flint Apr. 4, 1939 2,334,707 Johnson Nov.23, 1943 E 2,338,523 Lincoln Jan. 4, 1944 2,408,558 Hutchison Oct. 1,1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 493,600 Great Britain Oct. 11,1938 620,130 Germany Oct. 14, 1935

